


Can't Let This Go

by Shana_Rose



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Chase clearly in love but doesn't realize it, College AU, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru, While Gert tries to deny her feelings, it's a very soft fic, like referenced but not really in it, one-sided Chase Stein/Karolina Dean, only at the beginning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 10:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15022541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shana_Rose/pseuds/Shana_Rose
Summary: They met in a college feminism class.





	Can't Let This Go

**Author's Note:**

> First Runaways fic. The title is a line from the song Saturday Sun by Vance Joy.

“Why do you care?”

Her words hit them like a bucket of ice water; so quick and sharp that it hurt. Because here’s the thing, he really didn’t know, or at least he hadn’t until that moment.

He was such as idiot. He _liked_ her. All this time he liked Gert.

* * *

Chase scanned the lecture hall and smiled as he spotter her, the sun-kissed blonde Karolina, she smiled as he waved at him.

He nodded and thanked god that someone dropped out of Feminism 101 two days ago or he would have been screwed. Karolina Dean did not seem like the kind of girl who appreciated liars.

They had met at a college party a week before classes began. She had lit up the whole room with just her presence. He immediately found an excuse to talk to her, and as they talked Karolina mentioned she was taking Feminism 101 with her roommate and the drunken idiot that he was at the time said he was too.

_She seemed pleasantly surprised by this. Even blurted out, “Really?”_

_Chase admitted it was not something he would normally take but “college was all about exploring new ideas, right?”_

_The beach blonde had eaten that right up, gushing about new adventures and using new experience to find yourself._

He moved through the row and sat down next to her, grinning he asked, “You ready for this?”

Karolina giggled, “That’s yet to be determined.” Chase heard a loud scoffed at her words. Karolina turned to the girl on her other side.

The first thing he noticed about the girl was her hair, it was the same shade of violet has the tulips in his mother’s garden. It came down to her shoulders and was mostly straight, as if she had tried to straighten it but couldn’t get her curls completely so gave up halfway through. It gave her a softness that made him wonder if it was as soft as it looked.

Her face told a different story. Her eyes, a bright hazel, looked like she could kill a man with just a look, yet he couldn’t seem to look away. Her lips were in a straight line that clearly express that she knew what he was doing and how very little impress she was with him.

“Chase this is my roommate Gert.” It took Chase a second to register Karolina’s words under the terrifying glare of her roommate Gert.

His immediate thought was, ‘What kind of name was Gert?’ But he shook it off and put on his nicest smile as he leaned over and said, “Nice to meet you Gert.”

Gert make no intention to hide her fake smile and sarcastically replied, “Oh charmed I’m sure.”

“Gert!” Karolina scolded, but the purple hair girl ignored her. Instead pressed her wide-rimmed glasses back up her nose. With her lively violet hair, combat boots, and jean jacket full of patches he was sure she had put on herself, she had the angry feminist look down to an artform.

Chase opened his mouth unsure what he was about to say when the Professor began talking. Saving him from whatever dumb thing he was sure he’d said.

* * *

 

It was the second week of class and Chase swore his eyes were rolling so hard they were about to pop out of his head.

Gert, once again, had taken over the class with one of her rants. This time on abortion rights.

“It’s our bodies so clearly it’s our choice. Why should a bunch of old white man get to decide what I, or any other woman does with it,” as she talks she taps her foot loudly on the floor as if anxious that she won’t be able to get all her words out.

Now it’s not that he disagrees with anything she’s saying right now. For the most part everything she says goes over his head with words he’s sure only their teacher knows, but occasionally, (like now) Gert would said things he could keep up with. The fact that she had a clear opinion on everything would be kind of cool if she ever let anyone else talk.

Chase doesn’t know for the life of him why he opened his mouth but before he realizes what he’s doing, he finds himself saying, “What about the dad?”

Gert turns towards him and stares him down, “What about him?”

“Shouldn’t he get a say? It’s his kid too.”

The violet haired-girl scoffed, “So you’re saying that the so-called father, who, lets be honest, is basically just the sperm donor, should get to decide whether the woman has the baby or not? Geez and while we’re at it, let’s grab a coat-hanger for after the sock hop!”

Chase winced for a split second at that reference before continuing, “Don’t twist my words. I just meant that he should get a say, it’s his kid too he should be allowed to have an opinion on the matter.”

“And if she doesn’t agree with his opinion, what then Mr. Man?”

This leads to him and Gert arguing for the next five minutes about forced motherhood due to the patriarchy before the professor finally drops a book on the ground to get their attention.

“Miss Yorkes & Mr. Stein, how about you continue this talk after class, so I can get back to our lesson plan?”

For the first time Chase sees Gert look embarrass, her shoulders hunched forward as she leaned back when into her seat. “Sorry Professor,” she said sheepishly.

But once class is over he finds himself waiting for her to grab her things and arguing with her all the way to the campus coffee shop. Stranger still, sitting down and arguing with her until she had to leave for her next class.

Before Chase knew it, it had become a habit. Every Tuesday and Thursday after class Chase and Gert would debate at the coffee shop. Gert didn’t rant in class anymore, well not as much anyways, instead seemingly saving her opinions for their debates.

Karolina would usually walk with them to the coffeeshop but after the few times she’d get her coffee to go rather than sit with them. He couldn’t blame her, they’d get pretty into the arguments and Karolina would be left just sitting there.

 The great thing about their debates was that Gert was up to debate about everything: class, assignments, books, movies & tv, even coffee. It wasn’t always about feminism (though she did have an amusing ability to tie practically everything to feminism) sometimes they would talk about the environment, corporate greed, racism, or immigration.

The thing that surprised Chase the most about these arguments is that he actually enjoyed them. Growing up Chase hated arguing because they always ended the same, with his dad hitting him. But with Gert is was different, sure she would get really annoyed at him or even mad sometimes, but it was because she was passionate. In the end she’d just throw her hands in the air, groan and then said, “Okay so here’s why your wrong…”

 He found himself looking forward to their arguments all week. Making mental notes of things he wanted to talk to her about. Chase would ask her questions about things he heard and didn’t understand. Or sometimes he would say things just to watch her head explode.

He enjoyed her rants now, how into them she got, how she couldn’t help but gesture as she got more opinionated, as if she couldn’t help how passionate she was. He’d never admit to her, but it was kind of cute.

Today’s discussion was on the assigned reading on prostitution. Her nose was flared up in annoyance and her lips puckered up.

He couldn’t help but grin ear to ear at this new facial expression, ‘So this is Gert when she can’t pick a side.’

Gert was unusually quiet in class that day, so once they got to the coffee shop he couldn’t resist saying, “You sick?” He reached forward and touched her forehead. “Dying maybe?”

She swatted his hand and shook her head. “I’m fine Abercrombie. Just…. Processing.”

He couldn’t help but smile at the nickname. His favorites were jockstrap and Omega moron, the first one because he was on the lacrosse team (she had a field day with that one) and the second after he had mentioned he almost pledged a month ago. She laughed so hard soda almost came out her nose.  Follow by a ten-minute rant of the systematic oppression created by patriarchy and how frats contributed to it.

“What’s to process? Don’t you believe in women being in command of their bodies and being in control what they do with it?”

She rolled her eyes, “Of course. I’m all for women empowering themselves and sex work is **real work**. These women-”

“Or men.” Gert rolled her eyes again, but this time she had a slight smile on her face. The kind reserved for when he says something that should annoy her and they both know it yet for some reason it didn’t. He grins.

Gert continues on, “Or men. They shouldn’t be criminalized for choosing their profession! However, the article brings up an interesting point about the dynamic of sex and money, because even if the money is good that doesn’t mean you enjoy the sex with every John. I mean you could be fucking this 80 year old wrinkly old dude with a creep smile who’s grabby. But sex workers have some choice in which clients they accept, so the question becomes do sex workers ever take clients they don’t like for the money? Because then I can understand why during second wave feminism some feminist insisted that all sex work was actually rape.”

Chase nodded, “But is it still rape with clients they enjoy having sex with?”

Gert pinched her nose and closed her eyes, “I… I don’t think so. That’s the way I’m leaning anyways.”

Chase laughed.

The violet haired girl glared at him, “You’re enjoying this too much.”

He smirked, “It’s not everyday I get to see the all great and powerful Gert unable to make up her mind.”

“All great and powerful?” She scoffed, “You make me sound like the Wizard of Oz.”

He pressed his hand to his chin in a mock thinking pose. “Guess that makes me the scarecrow.”

She laughed, and he felt his chest warm up. He frowned. How hot was this coffee that his chest felt warm from just touching the cup?

* * *

It was winter break and for once in his life Chase couldn’t wait to go back to class.

Chase had always hated being home, especially when his dad was home. He joined after school clubs and sports, so he wouldn’t have to come home until late, but this was different. He couldn’t wait for feminism 102. He had surprising enjoyed 101, the class was interesting, but the best part was arguing with Gert after class.

He had checked the class registration before signing up to make sure he was in the same class as Gert. The blond looked at the calendar on his phone and counted down the days, 13 more days. He smiled just thinking about it.

* * *

Feminism 102 wasn’t as big as the previous class, so he could see everyone’s face clearly, but he couldn’t see Gert.

He frowned, but found two empty seats by the aisle, tossing his backpack on the aisle seat so no one took Gert’s seat.

Chase looked down at his phone and frowned. Class was about to being. He was sure Gert would have come early since it’s the first day. But then again, she could be having one of those days. Chase had learned that Gert ran on two gears: overdrive or fumes. Either she was super early because of her anxiety or she would walk in late in her pajamas glaring at anyone who would dare to comment, not giving a fuck.

Class began, and Chase found himself glancing up at the door every few seconds as he scribbled down everything the professor said that he thought Gert would like to know. He even raised his hand a few times to ask questions she would surely ask if she were here.

Class was almost over when he finally grabbed out his phone to check the class registration. An icy chill went down his spine. She wasn’t there. Chase looked again and again but Gertrude Yorkes wasn’t on the list.

* * *

 

He had spent the last hour walking around campus looking for Gert. He had fifteen minutes until his engineering class and he would be damned if he didn’t find Gert first. He walked towards the coffee shop for the second time hoping that she’d be there by now, and if heart stopped. She was there.

She was sitting on a bench outside the shop with Karolina, smiling at something the blonde said.

Chase stood still for a moment and caught his breath before walking over.

Karolina saw him first, “Oh hey Chase! How are-”

He ignored her and look straight at Gert, “Where the hell were you?”

Gert tensed at his words, as if prepare herself for a fight. Her words came out indifferent though, “What are you talking about?”

“Feminism 102. I saved you a seat.” He could feel his annoyance seep out of his words.

“Oh. Sorry I dropped that class.”

Dread filled his stomach. “What! Why?”

Gert frowned, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I need to take another psych class and seeing as feminism was my fun class I figured I dropped it, so it wouldn’t screw up schedule with my double major, cause if I want to get both my psych and poly sci degrees in five years like planned- Wait why do you even care?”

Her words hit them like a bucket of ice water; so quick and sharp that it hurt. Because here’s the thing, he really didn’t know, or at least he hadn’t until that moment. He was such as idiot. He _liked_ her. All this time he **liked** Gert.

Chase opened his mouth wanting to sat the words, _‘Because I only took this class so I could see you.’_ But the words died on his tongue.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if anyone doesn't agree with the direction I went with the sex workers, while I was working on my thesis last year I stumbled on a second wave article on prostitution and rape and when I was writing this it popped back into my head so I decided to add it in. If anyone's interested I think I have the link saved somewhere.


End file.
